January | Special | UK to Montevideo, Uruguay |
Wg Cdr Chris Swaithes, Sgt Tony Dunphy & Cpl Al Verth. Delivery of Wasp helicopter to Uruguay for HMS Endurance |
January | Exercises Magic Carpet & Rocky Lance | Seeb and Thumrait, Oman to UK | Fg Off John Buchanan FS Gordon Gray plus 1. Recovery of 57 Squadron (Victors) from Oman to UK |
January | Rapier Exchange | Benbecula, UK to Germany and return | Flt Lt Guy Blyth, FS Ian Berry & SAC Jim Rice. Rotation of Rapier units from Germany to RA Hebrides Ranges |
February | Exercise Gold Sphinx | Honington, UK to Gibraltar |
PO Joe Joseph plus 5. Deployment of 208 Squadron (Buccaneers) to Gibraltar |
February | Exercise Green Lance | Wyton, UK to Oerland, Norway |
FS Syd Avery plus 5. Deployment of 39 Squadron (Canberras) to Oerland in Norway |
February | Special | Coltishall, UK to Jever, Germany |
FS Charlie Grant, Sgt Tony Dunphy, SAC Nip Betts plus 3. Deployment of 6 Squadron (Jaguars) to Jever in Germany |
February | Exercise Short Stretch | Wittering, UK | Flt Lt Guy Blyth, FG Off John Buchanan plus 26. Field deployment during Lyneham Taceval |
February | Special | Andros Island, Bahamas to UK | WO Reg Carey plus 5. Recovery of a Royal Navy Lynx Helicopter from AUTEC back to UK |
March | Exercise Alloy Express | Wittering, UK to Tromso, Norway |
Flt Lt Ian Drake plus 11. Deployment of 1 Squadron (Harriers) to Tromso |
March | Exercise Hardfall | Bomoen, Norway | FS Dave Wright attached to 50 MC Squadron RCT as Air Advisor in Norway |
March | Exercise Alloy Express | Coltishall, UK to Bardufoss, Norway | Flt Lt Guy Blyth plus 10. Deployment of 41 Squadron (Jaguars) to Bardufoss |
March | Exercise Jude Stay | Coltishall, UK | FSgt Syd Avery plus 5. Recovery of 54 Squadron (Jaguars) from Sardinia to UK |
March | Exercise Alloy Express | Wittering, UK | Flt Lt Ian Drake plus 11. Deployment of personnel and equipment of 1 Squadron (Harriers) from UK to Tromso |
April | There was a further increase in the workload on the Squadron during April. A total of 1080 man days were spent on Mobile tasks. The principal reason for the high level of activity within both Base and Mobile elements resulted from the decision by HM Government to send a Task Force to the Falkland islands to repel the Argentine invaders which took the islands by military invasion on 1 April. (This task to be known as ‘Operation Corporate’). In support of the Naval Task Force, the RAF commenced an airlift of stores and equipment to Wideawake Airfield, the USAF Air Base on Ascension Island, and initially a Mobile Team led by Flt Lt Jim Stewart with FS Stu Everett, Sgt John McClymont, Cpl Steve Perry, SACs Dave Salmon & Kit Kitson were deployed to the island on 2 April 1982 to set up an Airhead. | ||
April | Operation Corporate | Far East | FS Dave Wright plus 5. Movement of RN personnel and equipment from Far East back to UK |
April | Operation Corporate | Gibraltar | FS Ian Berry, Sgt Tony Dunphy and Cpl Chris Thistle. Reforce of Gibraltar Air Movs Flt to handle increased workload |
April | Operation Corporate | Leuchars, UK | Plt Off Simon Baxter, FS Ian Berry, SAC Neale Harrison plus 3. Movement of timber for SS Uganda to Gibraltar and missiles for use by the Task Force |
April | Special | UK to Amman, Jordan | Sgt Derek Barron plus 2. Delivery of power packs to Jordan |
April | Operation Corporate | Kinloss, Scotland to Ascension Island. | Fg Off John Buchanan, FS Gordon Gray, Sgt Tony Searle plus 3. Deployment of personnel and equipment of 120/201 Sqn (Nimrods) from Scotland to Ascension Island |
May | Boosted by reforce from Suppliers, the squadron had a total of 4 teams operating in Ascension, a half team in Gibraltar and 2 men in Dakar. 16 teams were created and operated during this period with the help of the Base flight. In addition to the plethora of service freight for the South Atlantic the squadron was also tasked to move tons of donated beer and adult magazines amongst others. The teams in Ascension witnessed the reception of POW’s, repatriation of the HMS Sheffield survivors and the Vulcan departing on it’s Black Buck missions | ||
May | Operation Corporate | Pope AFB, NC, USA to UK | FS Ian Berry, Cpls Ian Bell, Paddy Power, Steve Williams, Hammy Thompson & Smudge Smith (MAMS Eng), Uplift of munitions from US Rangers at Fort Bragg for 22 SAS in UK utilising VC10 flat floor freighter. |
May | Exercise Maple Flag | Cold Lake, AB, Canada to Wittering UK | Flt Lt Ian Drake plus 2. Recovery of 1 & 3 Squadron (Harriers) from Canada to Wittering. |
May | Exercise Tardy Spectre | Leuchars, UK to Rygge, Norway | Fg Off Joe Joseph plus 5. Deployment of 43 Squadron (Phantoms) from Scotland to Rygge in Norway |
May | Exercise Glade Jaunt | Bruggen, Germany to Decimomannu, Sardinia | Sgt Ian Newlands plus 2. Deployment of Jaguars from Germany to Sardinia |
May | Exercise Pond Jump West | UK to Namao, AB, Canada | Fg Off Joe Joseph plus 5. Deployment of 1 & 3 Sqn (Harriers) from UK to Canada |
May | Exercise Tardy Spectre | Leuchars, Scotland to Rygge, Norway | Flt Lt Hugh Raynor plus 5. Deployment of personnel and equipment of 43 Sqn (Phantoms) from Scotland to Norway |
May | Exercise Best Focus | Coltishall, UK to Denmark | Fg Off John Buchanan plus 5 . Deployment of 41 Sqn (Jaguars) to Denmark |
May | Nimrod Trials | Kinloss, Scotland to Yuma, AZ, USA | Flt Lt Peter Burch plus 2. Deployment of freight and personnel from Kinloss to USA |
June | This month saw the final assault on Stanley and surrender of the Argentines. The first MAMS team to deploy to Port Stanley post-surrender were Flt Lt Andy Holliday, FS Dave Wright and Cpl Steve Munday. They were quickly followed by Fg Off Kettell, Sgt Taff Price, Cpls Jim Rice & Smith, SACs Neale Harrison, Brian McVeigh and Alan Kilpatrick | ||
June | The surrender of the Argentinian Forces on the Falkland Islands enabled Long Range C-130s to land at Port Stanley Airfield, carrying vital equipment down from Ascension Island on the last leg of the long supply chain. The UKMAMS Det Cdr, Flt Lt Holliday, is working along with the Transport and Movements Staff at HQLF Falkland Islands, running the Joint Services Air Booking Centre. Five miles away at the airport, Fg Off Kettell and his team handle the incoming and outgoing aircraft, using all their skills to turn round the aircraft as quickly as possible with minimal handling aids and in severely cold climatic conditions. |
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June | Work on the Airport Terminal Building is commencing, but it is still unusable, so the MAMS Team are living under canvas even though high winds have uprooted them several times. The set up is basic, and in addition there still remains the problem of mines and unexploded bombs in the vicinity. However, the use of initiative has enabled them to acquire two ISO Containers to use as storage areas for V&A etc and bartering for food has eased conditions a little. |
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June | The length of the Detachment is not yet known, but it is generally assumed to be 6 months, with the present sortie rate of 2 aircraft per day from Ascension, being reviewed as conditions at the Airfield gradually improve. Throughout Operation Corporate, whatever the location, there can be no denying that UKMAMS have lived up to their motto in being “Swift to Move”. |
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June | Exercise Fleet Buoy | UK to Pisa, Italy and Souda Bay, Crete |
FS Jim Cunningham plus 2. Deployment of 5 Squadron (Lightnings) to Italy and Crete |
June | Special | UK to Cairns AAF, AL, USA & return | FS Roy Armstrong plus 2. Delivery of an Auster aircraft to Cairns Museum and recovery of a Cessna L19 back to UK |
June | Special | Dover AFB, DE, USA to UK | WO Merv Corke plus 5. Collection of RHAG equipment from USA to UK utilising 10 aircraft |
July | The confrontation with Argentina over the Falkland Islands is over, and the British military presence, both there and in Ascension Island is to be maintained until further notice. The situation now affecting the squadron is an increased workload in manning a Movements organisation on Ascension Island involving a total of 4 officers 7 SNCOs and 24 junior ranks and providing 2 movements personnel at Dakar. In addition, the squadron is to fully man a Movements Flight at RAF Stanley, Falkland Islands with 1 officer, 2 SNCOs and 7 junior ranks (this flight drawn entirely from Mobile trained personnel). As the global establishment of Movements officers and airmen has not increased, and lack of recruiting has not provided any surplus manpower for the task, the commitments create an additional workload on the 38 Gp units providing Movements manpower. Initially, UKMAMS will provide the greater proportion of Movements manpower for Ascension Island, and the total Movements tradesmen requirement at Port Stanley airfield. For the present, we shall continue to provide personnel from MAMF for Ascension Island, Dakar and Stanley, but envisage the need to detach some personnel from BAMF to Ascension Island to allow MAMF to meet other tasking commitments. Everyone is now feeling the strain of longer hours of duty at base because of the absence of so many personnel at these overseas posts. |
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July | Special | UK to Kathmandu, Nepal and Hong Kong to Brunei and return |
Fg Off Joe Joseph, FS Ian Berry, Cpl Hammy Thompson. Delivery of medical supplies to Nepal and Scout helicopter changeover between Hong Kong and Brunei |
July | Exercise Mallet Blow | Marham, UK to Bruggen, Germany | FS Alan Roper, SAC Paul Newman plus 1. Recovery of 14 Squadron (Jaguars) from Marham to Germany |
July | Special | Dover AFB, DE, USA to UK |
WO Liam Devlin plus 2. Uplift of RHAG equipment in Delaware, USA for UK |
July | Operation Corporate | Eastleigh/Leuchars | Fg Of Gavin Richardson plus 13. Onmove of 42 Commando RM from Southampton to Arbroath on their disembarkation from SS Canberra |
July | Lyneham - Three Airmen took part in recording a scene for the new BBC TV series “Squadron”, unloading a goat mascot (suitably kennelled) from a C130 but, regrettably having to let it escape onto a ceremonial parade ground during the AOCs Inspection. |
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July | RA Ranges | Germany to Benbecula, the Outer Hebrides, Scotland | Flt Lt Peter Burch plus 5. Rotation of 15 & 36 Bty RA and 31 Sqn RAF Regt (All Rapier Batteries) between Germany and the Outer Hebrides |
August | Exercises Frosty Broad and Pink Barge | Akrotiri, Cyprus to Wattisham, UK | FS Gordon Gray, Sgt Tony Searle plus 4. Deployment of 56 Squadron (Phantoms F4J) and recovery of 11 Squadron (Lightnings) from APC in Cyprus |
August | Exercise Jude Stay | Sculthorpe, UK to Coltishall, UK |
Fg Off John Buchanan plus 2. Recovery of 6 Squadron (Jaguars) to Coltishall |
August | Special | Offutt AFB, NE, USA to UK | Fg Off Steve Heaton plus 2. Withdrawal of RAF Detachment from Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska with reduction of Vulcan forces |
September | Tasking continued to be very heavy and in order to cope with the Mobile commitment ‘D’ Shift of BAMF was disbanded from 01 September and its 29 personnel of all ranks were employed on Mobile tasks, the other three shifts working without full stand-down to cover the 24 hours, 7 days a week station Movements commitment. This pattern will continue until 06 October. | ||
9 September | Lebanon Peacekeeping Force |
Lebanon | 1 team deploy with Buccaneers as peace keeping force |
September | Exercises Flush Bean and Fort Barge | Wattisham, UK to Akrotiri, Cyprus and return |
Fg Off Kettell plus 5. Deployment of 23 Squadron (F4G Phantoms) and recovery of 56 Squadron (F4J Phantoms) to and from Cyprus |
September | Special | UK to Kathmandu, Nepal |
FS Syd Avery plus 2. Deployment of RE Topographical squadron to Nepal from UK |
September | Exercise Trial Gabriel | UK to Homestead AFB, FL, USA and rotation to Andros Island, Bahamas |
Fg Off Simon Baxter, FS Ian Berry, Cpl Steve Perry, SAC Kit Kitson plus 2. Deployment of Nimrod support equipment to Florida and rotation of Stingray Torpedoes to/from Andros Island |
October | Exercise Fincastle | UK to Whenuapi, New Zealand | OC UKMAMS (Wg Cdr Chris Swaithes) plus 2. Deployment of Nimrod equipment to New Zealand for anti-submarine competition |
October | Special | Diego Garcia to Brunei and Fiji | Fg Off Bob Parker plus 2. Movement of material between Diego Garcia, Brunei and Nandi |
October | Special | UK to Puerto Rico | Plt Off Simon Baxter plus 2. Delivery of urgent freight to MV Cunard Countess and HMS Illustrious |
November | Exercise Storm Trail | UK to Palermo, Sicily | Fg Off Andy Towler plus 5. Positioning of personnel and equipment from 55 Squadron (Victors) from UK to Sicily |
November | Special | Oerland, Norway to Wyton, UK |
Fg Off Bob Parker plus 2. recovery of 1 PRU to Wyton from Norway |
November | Special | UK to Nellis AFB, NV, USA | Sqn Ldr Chas Cruse plus 2. Delivery and collection of MoD (PE) freight between UK and USA |
November | Exercises Ponte Vecchio and Tower Bridge | UK to Ciampiano, Italy and return | Sgt Dave Roberts plus 2. Exchange of units between the British and Italian Armies |
November | Exercise Hawkeye | Laarbruch, Germany to Coltishall, UK | |
December | Exercise Medman | Calgary, AB, Canada to UK |
Fg Off Jerry Allen plus 2. Recovery of elements of UKLF from Canada to UK |
December | Exercise Sandy Wanderer | UK to Seeb, Oman | Fg Off John Buchanan, FS Gordon Gray, Sgt Tony Searle plus 3. Deployment of 39 Squadron (Canberras) from UK to Oman |
December | Exercise Furbelow | UK to Gibraltar | FS Dixie Dean plus 5. Deployment of 12 Squadron (Bucaneers) from Lossiemouth, UK to Gibraltar |